On 22/9, Deputy Minister of Finance Tran Quoc Phuong, on behalf of the government, presented a draft resolution to the National Assembly Standing Committee on the allocation of the 2025 central budget among ministries, central agencies, and localities.
The government proposed a reduction of 3,270 billion VND from nine ministries, central agencies, and three localities to increase the budgets of three ministries, agencies, and 13 localities after the restructuring.
Over 703 billion VND of foreign investment capital from the budget of the former Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development was also transferred to three merged localities: Tuyen Quang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Tay Ninh.
The entire 2025 central budget of eight pre-merger ministries and central agencies was proposed to be transferred to seven post-restructuring ministries and localities. The recipients include Hanoi and six ministries: National Defense, Finance, Agriculture and Environment, Culture, Sports and Tourism, Construction, and Ethnic Affairs and Religions.
In addition, 381 billion VND from the 2025 central budget of the Ministry of Home Affairs was transferred to the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. Nearly 188 billion VND from the 2025 budget of the former Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs was allocated to three ministries: Home Affairs (101 billion VND), Education and Training (61.6 billion VND), and Health (25.3 billion VND).
Similarly, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Public Security received 52.5 billion VND and 13.5 billion VND, respectively, from the transferred funds of the former Ministry of Information and Communications.
From 1/7, the number of provinces and cities nationwide was reduced to 34 after the administrative restructuring. Accordingly, the number of commune-level administrative units decreased from over 10,000 to over 3,300, a reduction of approximately 67%. Local governments were streamlined from three levels (province, district, commune) to two (province and commune).
From increased central budget revenue in 2022, the government proposed allocating 1,927 billion VND to Lam Dong province for the construction of the Bao Loc - Lien Khuong expressway.
Approximately 723 billion VND from this source, no longer needed by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction, will be transferred to Quang Ngai province (150 billion VND) and Lam Dong province (573 billion VND).
Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee, stated that the reallocation of funds was based on proposals from ministries and localities. This is also in accordance with regulations on decentralization and the Law on State Budget and the Law on Public Investment.
Members of the National Assembly Standing Committee agreed with the proposal to supplement and transfer capital to localities and ministries after the restructuring and for urgent infrastructure projects.
However, National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Hai, in concluding the meeting, emphasized the government's responsibility for the accuracy of the allocated and adjusted central budget figures and public investment plans.
He requested that the government, localities, and central agencies learn from experience to allocate capital in line with disbursement progress and capacity to minimize adjustments to allocated funds. "Public investment projects need to accelerate disbursement progress, manage capital use economically, and combat waste," Mr. Hai stated.
Phuong Dung
